What is the Role of the shared_buffers Parameter in PostgreSQL Configuration?

The shared_buffers parameter in PostgreSQL configuration defines the size of the shared buffer allocated in memory by the database system. This buffer is primarily used to store frequently accessed database data blocks, thereby accelerating data retrieval and minimizing disk access. In PostgreSQL, increasing the size of shared_buffers typically improves overall database performance, especially when handling large volumes of data and high loads. However, the optimal value for this parameter depends on the system's total memory, other memory usage requirements, and the operating system's caching strategy. It is generally recommended to set shared_buffers to approximately 25% of the total physical memory.